ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. sharp — clever
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. track — to keep track
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bound — certain
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bound — obliged
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. mug — to rob
  20. toast — bread
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mug — a face
  23. stem — to come from
  24. toast — the most admired

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com